new to OS DEV.....

hockey97 · Post by **hockey97** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:03 pm

Hi I am new here and also somewhat new to OS making. I never made a OS but would love to try to. I know c++ and some ASM but I never really made an OS I made a few programs in c++ and done some examples or small coding ect in python before.

I really would like to get into OS dev. I am right now planning to make a small computer with up to date hardware. I have made circuits before and took eletronics class in highschool which was a college class. Next sem in college I am going to take a class called semi-conductor class .

I really need some guide on what to learn first and mainly a step to step way I can slowly build up to an expert in os. I mean like little experiments that can I code somthing starting small and then start adding on and on too until I get a full working pc built by myself the hardware and software.

Is their also any free software that can emulate a os rather than when making your own os having to reboot your computer to see it the os works or not.

any tips or suggestions website that I can start looking at to help me gain more knowledge on making an OS.

Thanks for your time.

suthers · Post by **suthers** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:34 pm

Hey,
welcome to OSdev (though i'm not that old myself)
For tutorials i think:
http://www.osdever.net/tutorials.php?cat=0&sort=1
is a good place (thats were i learn't most of my stuff though i am still far from considering myself an expert, ...).
there is also the wiki:
http://www.osdev.org/wiki/Main_Page
(Yes I know that's kind of funny comming from me...)
as for an emulator theres boschs, that you can download here:
http://www.osdever.net/downloads/emulat ... 32-bin.zip
Otherwise good luck
Jules

lukem95 · Post by **lukem95** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:35 pm

you need to code really well before attempting an OS. so i'd do some more C/C++ and definatly some more ASM first.

also, im sure many of your questions are answered in the wiki or on google, but hey, im in a good mood:

Qemu, bochs and MS virtual PC are all free emulators

osdev.org (here) has a great wiki, osdever.net has lots of good tutorials, jamesmolloy.co.uk has a great tutorial section... there are many others, but basically... order the intel manuals, their excellent.

erm.. that should get you started

hockey97 · Post by **hockey97** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:38 pm

thanks for the info. If I downloaded boschs and use that to emulate my scripts of my begginning OS and let's say some huge errors occur, would it fry my computer or do any damage?? Or is this safe like windows xp would be able to see the errors and if could damage any hardware it would shut it down. Since I will be using an emulator.

piranha · Post by **piranha** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:50 pm

Is their also any free software that can emulate a os rather than when making your own os having to reboot your computer to see it the os works or not.

There is VMware, Bochs, Virtual PC, QEMU, Virtual Box.
You can just Google that......and yeah......Hint: Don't ask things that can be answered by searching on Google.

-JL

01000101 · Post by **01000101** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:05 pm

first off, you should READ either the Intel Software Developer's Manual, or the AMD Architecture Programmer's Manual depending on what your CPU is.

Intel = http://www.intel.com/design/processor/m ... 253668.pdf
AMD = http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content ... /24593.pdf

Also, you will want to check out the tutorials found at the Wiki here, and also, check out OSDever.net's tutorials.

You will DEFINATELY want to brush up on some assembly language skills, I had next to none when I first started, and I found out very quickly that ASM is a language worth learning extensively.

pcmattman · Post by **pcmattman** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:47 pm

See that sticky at the top of the OS Development forum?

Highly suggested reading

.

bluecode · Post by **bluecode** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:43 am

suthers wrote:as for an emulator theres boschs, that you can download here:
http://www.osdever.net/downloads/emulat ... 32-bin.zip

Please don't post links to a bochs version from 2003. 2.3.6 is currently the newest, you can get it directly on the bochs homepage.

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:52 am

hockey97 wrote:If I downloaded boschs and use that to emulate my scripts of my begginning OS and let's say some huge errors occur, would it fry my computer or do any damage??

Bochs is an emulator. It emulates a PC. So nothing gets fried. Besides, it's really difficult to fry hardware with software, although I guess it's possible.

JAL

AJ · Post by AJ » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:02 am

The main way you can fry hardware with software is by writing to memory mapped IO areas or ports which control hardware functions. I believe frying a CRT isn't all that hard.

Cheers,
Adam

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:06 am

AJ wrote:I believe frying a CRT isn't all that hard.

I'm not really sure. In the old days, yes, especially with fixed sync monitors, you could fry those easily. But new CRTs (or TFTs) have quite some logic aboard to reject bogus timing signals, and will just display an error message.

JAL

JamesM · Post by **JamesM** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:21 am

But new CRTs (or TFTs)

CRTs and TFTs are somewhat different...

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:47 am

JamesM wrote:CRTs and TFTs are somewhat different...

Yes, but both have protection against misuse, nowadays.

JAL

Combuster · Post by **Combuster** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:53 am

I've been doing VGA programming for about 7 years now, and I never managed to break a monitor in all that time

mathematician · Post by **mathematician** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:02 am

AJ wrote:The main way you can fry hardware with software is by writing to memory mapped IO areas or ports which control hardware functions. I believe frying a CRT isn't all that hard.

Cheers,
Adam

Unless I am mistaken, it takes access to i/o ports to damage a monitor.